Fall Rose

 8" x 8" Stretched Canvas

1 1/2" deep sides

This is a companion to my earlier pink rose close-up.  I really enjoy the repetitive folds, they are quite relaxing to paint!  I have a bazillion rose pictures that I took when Jim and I went to Portland, OR for a week this summer.  The International Rose Test Garden is there and free to the public -- acres and acres of gorgeous blooms in every hue, size and scent.  I actually took more pictures than the camera could handle and needed a second memory card!  It is kind of daunting when you have so many pictures to choose from, and then, of course, I need to be in the "mood" to paint roses or they don't work out they way I want them too.  Good thing I am a woman as well as an artist and to changing my mind is just a part of my nature.  That way no one can blame me for procrastinating on my rose paintings!

Epiphany!

"The Epiphany"

8" x 10"

Artist's Gesso Board

I painted this abstract piece on a day when I was feeling inspired about painting on gesso boards! They have such a wonderfully smooth surface and the paint seems to have a mind of its own when the brush hits the surface. I suppose I could control it more, but then...why? We all have to be so controlled in life -- isn't it nice to let go once in awhile? Try it, and see!

Pepper Love

"Pepper Love"

8" x 10" 

Artist's Gesso Board

I love food and I have a particular affinity for peppers.  When I found a series of photographs from MorgueFile featuring some sweet bells, I just had to start painting.  I am still working on the boards, but I have found that brand DOES matter here.  This board was very hard to paint wet-on-wet, which is my usual M.O. and I had to wait ages for the paint to dry in between.  I still have some touch up to do on the green pepper but, again, I am just waiting for paint to dry.  Now I know why so many artists get frustrated with oils.  These two bells looked so cozy snuggled up together that I had to have "love" in the title.  Don't they look like newlyweds?  Awwwww.  Mr. Potatohead would be jealous!

A Fun Challenge

"Nebulous"

5 x 7

Artist's Gesso Board

This was a fun little challenge given to me by some artist friends.  I think I needed a little relaxing creativity time, so it came along at the right point in my month.  The challenge was to portray a female character as an adjective and there was a short list to choose from.  I chose "nebulous" because I thought it was the most interesting word to work with AND I had been looking at these beautiful acrylic paintings of celestial space that were so inspiring.  It was a match made in heaven - heh, heh! Quite a departure from my usual style, but here she is!

Board Again!

 "Cloudwatch"

9" x 12"

Artist's Gesso Board

Loving the board!  LOVING IT!  This was a "mental landscape" -- just something from my head that worked up great on this board.  I reworked it once, to add intensity to the dark clouds on the left and add substance and drama to the central cloud mass.  It was so easy to rework on the board.  And, again, the color intensity is striking --- you really need to see it "in person" to know what I mean.  You might have had a chance on August 6th, when I was going to do a local show, but I chickened out.  I need more time to get my booth together and figure out how to take credit cards and such.  It is not like selling on line!  That is okay, though, I will be ready to go in the Spring!

And I have so many new things to paint, thanks to my trip to Portland, OR.  I am posting this from the hotel there, in fact!  I can't wait to take all my new ideas and pictures and get painting next week!

Getting Board!

"A Cool Change"

8" x 10"

Artist's Gesso Board

Ah, gesso board, how do I love thee?  I bought a painting by one of my faves, Qiang Huang and it was done on this sweet little board.  I had often noticed paintings done on these, but never thought I would be unfaithful to the canvas.  It took just one night and I was totally hooked!  The paint works up so well on these little gems -- smooth, creamy, luscious with a richness of color that I don't think canvas can compete with.  I went right out and did it again!  This is my first try -- with the rocks from one Hawaii photo my husband took and the clouds from another.   What fun!

Happy Fourth of July!!

"Good Eatin'"

8" x 10"

Stretched Canvas

Happy Birthday, America!  And what can be more American than some luscious red home-grown tomatoes to slap on your backyard burger?  Thanks to my eagle-eyed friend, Anne Fleetwood, for supplying the absolute picture of yumminess!  Too bad these weren't "for real" -- I love nothing better than a tomato sandwich in the hot summertime and not those nasty grocery store tomatoes that taste like so much school paste -- real, red-blooded American tomatoes, warm from the garden sun, left on the window sill to ripen and sliced thickly and salted.  Yum!  Enjoy the party, America!